PETALING JAYA, Feb 21 (Bernama) — There is still a need for good coordination among related authorities in the country on halal regulation and certification in order to address the growing gap between authorities and industry players in the halal industry.

International Halal Integrity Alliance (IHI Aliance) chief executive officer, Darhim Hashim, said a proper mechanism should be in place so that these authorities could work together to address the current issues faced by halal industry players.

“There is a need for a good coordination, for example, between the Ministry of Health and Jakim as well as other government agencies, so that they can keep up with the changing trend in the halal industry,” he told a media briefing here Tuesday.

The demand for halal products and services are increasing rapidly, driven by growing awareness globally but there are concerns that governments, especially Muslim countries, are not doing enough to cater to this.

Darhim said out of 57 Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation members, only 10 governments had halal regulations.